Once ranked eighth nationally, the LSU Tigers have experienced a significant drop in the rankings in recent weeks, a decline expected to continue following their disappointing loss to the struggling Florida Gators on Saturday night.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier finished the game completing 27 of 47 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown, but he was also sacked seven times. This loss marks the third consecutive defeat for the Tigers, who began the season strong with a 6-1 record. In response to the latest setback, head coach Brian Kelly addressed his team with a stern message.
“Do you want to fight and take responsibility as coaches and players that we’re not playing well and we’re struggling right now?” Kelly stated to Bleacher Report. “It’s life, it’s a myriad of things but it’s a reflection of what life is about; There’s a rough spot here that we have to fight through.”
Kelly didn’t stop there. He also made it clear that players who aren’t committed to improving may not earn a spot on the team.
“If you’re not a thumb pointer, if you’re not somebody saying I’m going to work and continue to work and be better, then we don’t have a place for you in the last couple of weeks,” Kelly added. “If you want to fight and you want to keep working to get better, then we’re going to be alongside of you.”
Kelly’s impressive streak of ten-win seasons, which began after Notre Dame’s challenging 4-8 season in 2016, is now at risk. With only two regular-season games and a bowl game remaining, the Tigers face an uphill battle. Despite the slim chances of improving their record, Kelly emphasized the importance of battling through the remaining games.
“At the end of the day, it’s about overcoming adversity and fighting through these last two games that are at home, that we desperately want to win,” Kelly remarked.
LSU is set to conclude the season with back-to-back home matchups against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.
“This is a simple exercise of do you want to fight or not?” Kelly reiterated after the latest loss. “Do you want to fight and take responsibility as coaches and players that we’re not playing well and we’re struggling right now? … There’s a rough spot here that we have to fight through, and we have to do it together.”
Tensions were evident on the field as Kelly confronted receiver Chris Hilton during the first half, leading to online speculation that Kelly may have called Hilton “uncoachable.” Additionally, in the third quarter, receiver Kyren Lacy was seen visibly upset with Kelly during an empty possession, prompting the ABC camera to quickly cut away from the heated exchange.
This loss to Florida marks LSU’s first defeat against the Gators since 2018, despite Florida running 92 plays and controlling the ball for over 41 minutes.
“We’re going to put guys on the field that are going to fight and do everything they can do to correct where we are right now and that is struggling with consistent execution,” Kelly explained. “I think we’ve seen it enough to know we have to be better at as coaches and players.”
With three consecutive losses to Texas A&M, Alabama, and Florida, Kelly’s streak of ten-win seasons will conclude at seven. Although he achieved double-digit victories in each of his last four years at Notre Dame and continued the trend with LSU, the current performance makes surpassing nine wins unattainable.
